::Chapter Two::
Bruce sighed, rubbing at his temples. He hadn't expected it to turn into one of those nights, but it had all the same. The events of an hour ago were still replaying in the back of his mind. He'd never seen Dick that angry.or hurt. He sighed again, the glare of the computer screen casting a greenish glow upon his emotionless face. He could still hear Dick's voice in the echoes of the cave...
~~~~~~~~~~
"I keep telling Babs that she'll get sucked into the screen if she keeps staring at it so much. The same will happen to you, ya know."
Dick's cheerful voice entered the Batcave before he himself actually did. It had been a busy day at the Bludhaven PD, but for Nightwing the night had proven to be an uneventful one, so he had decided to make one of his unexpected visits to the Manor. Perhaps he'd been too tired, or had just not thought about it, but he'd driven over still in his uniform; gun, badge and all.
Big mistake.
"I thought I told you to not have that thing around here."
Bruce commented slowly to Dick's reflection in the monitor. The jovial look in the face of the reflection suddenly darkened.
"Nice to see you too, Bruce."
Came the bitter response. Bruce finally swiveled the computer chair around to face his surrogate son. Dick pulled the weapon out of its holster, half tempted to shove it in the other man's face.
"What's the problem? You used to show me how to unload a gun all the time as Robin. It's not like I haven't handled one or anything. I haven't even fired it at anyone if that's your problem-"
"My problem is that I taught you better."
Dick couldn't help but stare at the other man.
"Jesus, Bruce. Don't you think I know that? There were plenty of times I could have used this, but instead I relied on the skills I had, the skills you taught me."
Angrily he shoved the gun back in its holster.
"Why can't you just drop it. I'm a police officer, I carry a gun, I wear a badge. Deal with it."
Dick sighed inwardly. He hadn't expected the night to turn out like this. Why could he never stop by and have a friendly conversation with Bruce? Then again, he should have known better to show up in uniform.
"I wish you'd be kind enough to explain to me one of these days just what it is you have against my being an officer. It's not detracting from my being Nightwing. I'm balancing the two of them just fine."
"Sure you are. Especially when you, as an officer, were framed for murder."
Bruce's words cut through him like a knife.
"I handled it, didn't I?"
He growled in response.
"No thanks to you."
Came the muttered afterthought.
"It wasn't my problem, Dick. It was yours. And it wouldn't have been your problem if you hadn't become an officer. You jeopardized yourself and your role as Nightwing."
Dick swallowed, the words spilling out faster, louder, and angrier.
"I've got to wonder sometimes.is it that you're worried about my safety? Or is it that you just don't like the idea of my doing something differently from you, that I'm something besides a vigilante. It's like all you care about is my being Nightwing and making sure I don't jeopardize being able to be Nightwing. Heaven forbid I bring attention to myself at the risk of someone finding out my other occupation. It's all about keeping the damn secret to you. Protecting the city while wearing a mask. Well, you know what Bruce? There are other ways to protect a city, and I chose one of those other ways."
Dick could hear his heavy breathing in the silence that followed.
His eyes itched.
Damn you Bruce.
"I think the welcome's worn out around here."
Without another word, Bruce watched the frustrated young man turn on his heel and rush out of the cave. The look in his eyes was burned in Bruce's memory.
Bruce sighed, rubbing at his temples. He hadn't expected it to turn into one of those nights, but it had all the same. The events of an hour ago were still replaying in the back of his mind. He'd never seen Dick that angry.or hurt. He sighed again, the glare of the computer screen casting a greenish glow upon his emotionless face. He could still hear Dick's voice in the echoes of the cave...
~~~~~~~~~~
"I keep telling Babs that she'll get sucked into the screen if she keeps staring at it so much. The same will happen to you, ya know."
Dick's cheerful voice entered the Batcave before he himself actually did. It had been a busy day at the Bludhaven PD, but for Nightwing the night had proven to be an uneventful one, so he had decided to make one of his unexpected visits to the Manor. Perhaps he'd been too tired, or had just not thought about it, but he'd driven over still in his uniform; gun, badge and all.
Big mistake.
"I thought I told you to not have that thing around here."
Bruce commented slowly to Dick's reflection in the monitor. The jovial look in the face of the reflection suddenly darkened.
"Nice to see you too, Bruce."
Came the bitter response. Bruce finally swiveled the computer chair around to face his surrogate son. Dick pulled the weapon out of its holster, half tempted to shove it in the other man's face.
"What's the problem? You used to show me how to unload a gun all the time as Robin. It's not like I haven't handled one or anything. I haven't even fired it at anyone if that's your problem-"
"My problem is that I taught you better."
Dick couldn't help but stare at the other man.
"Jesus, Bruce. Don't you think I know that? There were plenty of times I could have used this, but instead I relied on the skills I had, the skills you taught me."
Angrily he shoved the gun back in its holster.
"Why can't you just drop it. I'm a police officer, I carry a gun, I wear a badge. Deal with it."
Dick sighed inwardly. He hadn't expected the night to turn out like this. Why could he never stop by and have a friendly conversation with Bruce? Then again, he should have known better to show up in uniform.
"I wish you'd be kind enough to explain to me one of these days just what it is you have against my being an officer. It's not detracting from my being Nightwing. I'm balancing the two of them just fine."
"Sure you are. Especially when you, as an officer, were framed for murder."
Bruce's words cut through him like a knife.
"I handled it, didn't I?"
He growled in response.
"No thanks to you."
Came the muttered afterthought.
"It wasn't my problem, Dick. It was yours. And it wouldn't have been your problem if you hadn't become an officer. You jeopardized yourself and your role as Nightwing."
Dick swallowed, the words spilling out faster, louder, and angrier.
"I've got to wonder sometimes.is it that you're worried about my safety? Or is it that you just don't like the idea of my doing something differently from you, that I'm something besides a vigilante. It's like all you care about is my being Nightwing and making sure I don't jeopardize being able to be Nightwing. Heaven forbid I bring attention to myself at the risk of someone finding out my other occupation. It's all about keeping the damn secret to you. Protecting the city while wearing a mask. Well, you know what Bruce? There are other ways to protect a city, and I chose one of those other ways."
Dick could hear his heavy breathing in the silence that followed.
His eyes itched.
Damn you Bruce.
"I think the welcome's worn out around here."
Without another word, Bruce watched the frustrated young man turn on his heel and rush out of the cave. The look in his eyes was burned in Bruce's memory.